When the ballot box was first
tested in 1990, the quantity with neatly stacked flat (i.e., not folded) ballots
was 1700 per bin. We therefore quoted 1500 per bin (gave ourselves a
little headroom). Since we have had ten years of experience, the
appropriate amount is 1000 per bin. Some disgruntled folks will probably
respond with less. It is dependant on the ballot length. The 18"
ballots tend to stack more neatly than the 14" ballots, and so on. All of
these capacity numbers are based on having a deflector inside the ballot
box. The deflector and the paper stops on the side of the bins make an
attempt to neatly stack the ballots to efficiently use the space (Ancient
Chinese Secret). Even then, some of the ballots may dive into the bin and
sit on edge or start forming a tent, effectively reducing the capacity of the
bin. The 11" ballots love to do this.(Am I anthropomorphizing paper
again?)
If you take the deflector out, then your guess is as good as
anyone's. Dynabec (dealer in Quebec, Canada) special ordered 50
ballot boxes without the deflector. Nel Finberg was in close contact with
Richard Joyal (Dynabec). Perhaps he knows of their experience with that
ballot box's capacity.
BTW: Juan, was your ' 12" ballot ' reference a typo?
Ian
-----Original Message-----
From: Juan
A.Rivera [mailto:videoviper@home.com]
Sent:
Thursday, May 17, 2001 12:04 PM
To: Support@gesn.Com
Subject: Maximum
Capacity of Ballots in Ballot Box
Hi All;
This is a general
question to all.
Has anyone done a study or test on the actual
capacity of the Accuvote
Ballot Box in term of how many ballots it will
physically hold?
I am writing a justification letter for the Senate Budget
committee to use
as part of the proposed change in the electoral law to
authorize the use of
Optical Scanners in Puerto Rico. I need to come up
with a number of ballots
of different sizes, (i.e. 12", 14" 18"), and the
maximum amount that a
ballot box can hold for each size or mixed sizes.
This also needs to be
broken down to a figure with the sorter installed and
another figure for the
sorter uninstalled.
If an actual study has
never been done, can anyone give me a real life
practical numbers for the
above questions? Please be conservative since I
rather have them be
happily surprised rather than disappointed later in an
election
environment.
Thanks for any and all input...
Juan A. Rivera